Abstract
Summary Zymogram staining techniques were used to identify Candida tropicalis immunoprecipitates corresponding to esterases, phosphomonoesterase, chymotrypsin and leucine aminopeptidase in crossed immunoelectrophoresis reference pattern. In the same way, immunoprecipitates were identified corresponding to chymotrypsin and leucine aminopeptidase in the Candida albicans crossed immunoelectrophoresis reference pattern. In addition, precipitation peaks which were not stainable with Coomassie blue were found for phosphomonoesterase, α esterase, β esterase and glucosidase. Cross-reactions of phosphomonoesterase, esterases and leucine aminopeptidases from Candida tropicalis and from 19 strains of 10 other species were studied by means of crossed-line immunoelectrophoresis and rocket-line immunoelectrophoresis. Rocket-line immunoelectrophoresis appeared very suitable for the rapid comparison of various antigenic enzymes from several strains. One esterase and one leucine aminopeptidase did not show any cross-reaction and seemed to be species-specific. Another leucine aminopeptidase and the phosphomonoesterase cross-reacted only with strains of species related to Candida tropicalis . The other esterase, which showed also a chymotrypsin-like activity, cross-reacted with all the strains tested. Phosphomonoesterase, esterase and leucine aminopeptidases from Candida albicans and 22 other Candida strains were compared by rocket-line immunoelectrophoresis. The esterases and one leucine aminopeptidase were species-specific. Phosphomonoesterase and the second leucine aminopeptidase from Candida albicans cross-reacted only with Candida tropicalis strains. Thus, the antigenic specificities of these enzymes are a useful taxonomic tool.
Published Version
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